Method and apparatus for making continuous metallic strips



May 29, 1928.

H. C. FLETCHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONTINUOUS METALLIC STRIPS origirial Filed March 1o, 1924 2k sheets-sheet May 29, 1928. 1,671,360

H. c. FLETCHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONTINUOUS METALLIC STRIPS Original Filed March l0, 1924 2 Shets-Sheec 2 llllllllllllll UNITED STATI-:s

HOWARD C. FLETCHER, B'l CLVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 l QLE'VELAND, OHIO.

` 1,671,360 Parar crezca.

MORRIS J'. WOLF, 0E

MTHOD AND APPARATUS FOB MAKING CONTINUOUS METLLIG STRIPS.

application mea met. 1o, 192e, serial no. 695,146. Renewed august 1e, 19er.

This( invention relates generally to the manufacture of a cast metal sheet in continuous or strip form and more particularlyto an apparatus or a'machine for making such 5 continuous strip or sheet either in perforate or imperforate form.

The object of the invention is to 'rovide a machine in which the molten meta 'either ure or alloy can be delivered to a mold or die at such av temperature that the entire space in the mold or die will be completely and .properly iilled'; said die or mold being continuously movable whereby'the -molded or shaped strip is gradually cooled and finally discharged from the machine in a continuous strip form which may or may not be rolled as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine 'employin a continuously moving mold or die capa lev of producing either an imperforate strip or one having openings or perforations4 therein such as a battery grid. f

4Another' object of-the invention is to provide for the delivery of the metal to the mold or die atthe proper temperature and also provide for the rapid cooling or chilling of the same whereby the crystalline structure of the sheet or strip 'can be regulated as desired.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. The inventionf'consists in thenovel features of construction and arrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

In the vdrawings forming partof this specification, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the machine embodying one form of my inven-I '40 tion; Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a series of battery grids formed or molded in a machine constructed in accordance with Vmy invention; Fig. 3 is a detail cross sectional view of such grid; Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section of the upper and lower endless bands or strips constituting the travcling mold and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

In carrying out my invention I employ any suitable construction of melting pot 10 controlled by a Avalve 11 and discharging the molten metal into the pipe or spout 12 by which it is delivered into a suitably arranged hopper or gate 13 supported at the upper end 'ofl a suitable main frame 14. This -frame also supports the oppositely disposed upper drums 15 and the oppositely disposed lower drums 16, these drums being of any suitable width and also of such diameter as may be found advisable. rlhe upper drums 15 are heating drums andA these drums may be heated electrically or by gas or in any other suitable manner. In,thc present instance l have shown these drums provided on their interior with suitable electrical heatingele# ments' 17, thecurrent being supplied through proper connections 18 in the center thereof. The lower roll 16 may be -made hollow if desnjed and supplied with water as a cooling medium. p

Traveling around the rolls 15 and 16 are the upper endless band 19 and the lower endlessband '20, these bands being of suitable metal to withstand the high temperature and they are flanged at their outer edges as shown at 19 and20, these flanges being so constructed as to permit the free and easy travel of the bands around the drums 15 and 16. The rolls 15 are so disposed with reference to the gate or hopper 13 and are of such size that the molten metal is delivered between the meeting places of the bands Just as they pass arou-nd the drums 15 and start down their parallel' Hight. It is essential however that the drums 15 and those :portions of 'the bands passing around the same at the rear, should beof substantially the same temperature as the molt-en metal so that there will be no tendencytorchill the metal at this point and consequently the entire space of the moldv or diewill be completely filled with the molten metal of such temperature thatrit will flow freely into the same. v

The rolls are adjustable toward and away `from each other so that the parallel portions of the bands can b spaced apart any desired distance. l have not deemed it necessary to show 4any particular form, of adjusting means as it will be understood that any suitable form of adjusting mechanism for adjusting the rolls toward or away from. each can be employed.

As before stated, the bands are of thin v flexible material and consequently pass freely around the drums and in the downward iiight when the two bands are in close proximity to eachother, a moving mold or `die is provided and by having these bands flanged or otherwise provided with stops at the sides, the escape of -metal at the sides is prevented. e

In order to maintain the bands in proper parallel relation during the rolling or shaping operation, I provide a series of rolls l21 and 22 between which the bands pass, and

it will be understood that these rolls are adjustable either simultaneously with thc drums or independentlythereof `as pre-` ferred, and in addition to the series of rolls 21 and 22 I alsoy provide 'additional rolls 23 and 24 adjacent the heating and cooling drums, these being somewhat smaller in order to place them close to both the heating and cooling drums .in order to maintain the v bands in true parallel relation at all times from the receiving of the metal to the discharge thereof.

In order to cool the metal as itl passes along in the die or mold through the machine I provide air jet pipes 25 and 26 connected respectively to the manifolds 27 and 28 which in turn are connected to a suitable air supply pipe 29. By this arrangement jets of air are directed against the traveling mold or die both from above and below.

may be varied or changed as desired with` out departing from the broad principle of my invention.

As previously stated, the bands 19 and 20 can be adjusted toward or away from each other to produce any desired thickness of.

strip or sheet metal and it will be understood that the molten metal flows into the gate or hopper 13 and then passesjinto the space between the bands and 1s carried along with the said bands to the lower end of t1 e machine and is there discharged in a continnous or strip form thereby roviding a thin strip or sheet of metal of t e desired thickness and it shouldlbe noted that the initial shaping operation takes place at a time when the molten metal is in the proper state of fluidity due to the fact that the heating rolls 15 are maintainedat such a temperature and likewise the adjacent portions of the endless bands so that all tendency of chilling the molten metal at its point of entrance 1s entirely obviated.

It is therefore possible to' produce with this machine a continuous thin strip of metal which can be rolled upon a suitable drum and from'which it can bereeled olf as de.

sired. v

It will also ybe understood that this thin continuous strip of meta-l can be made either imperforate or perforate, this 'being accomplished iby giving tothe continuous bands,

the desired cross sectional shape and contour and in the present .instance I have shown the manner of constructing -and op.- erating the lmachine for the purpose of producing .al continuous and connected series of grids for storage batteries, it being well understood that such grids usually employ an outer ,frame portion and a series of properly arranged strips or cross pieces in order to provide the proper construction and arrangement of cavities or openings to receive the composition lor paste which is applied tothe grid in the course of manufacture. Y

In Fig. 2, I have `shown one form of -bat tery grid which can be made upon a machine such as I have described and consisting of the frame portion 40 land the connecting pieces 41 and 42providing the openin sv 43. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be note that the cross pieces 41 age'staggered with respect to the horizontal central line and in order to provide for this the bands 19 and 20 are provided with the properly shaped and arranged cor'rugations 19h and 20". The cross members 42 are provided by arranging the corrugations 19c and 20, as mostV clearlyv shown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 4 l

that the corrugation 19b is arranged opposite a fiat port-ion of the band 20 and the corrugation 20b is arranged opposite the flat portion of the band 19 thus providing the stag-l gered portions 41 in their proper relation.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself to the shapes shown in thesegures as it is obvious that these shapes can be change or varied so long as the bands can be separated at the lower end and the molded strip discharged therefrom.

While I have shown the bands or stri s 1 L punched or corrugated to provide the esired formation, it will be understood that the bands orstrips can be otherwise formed in order. to provide the desired shape of the die or mol -It will also be understood that two or more series desired.

be dependent upon the lnature and character of the metal strips tobe .produced l'and the cooling operation can also be regulated for the same purpose if necessa' Having thus described my mvention, what I claim is j 1. A machine of the kind described comcan be arranged if so- The length of the machine will of courseI prisin a gate or hopper, heating drums arrange adjacent to saidl hopper, endless bands traveling around said heating drums and approaching each other at thehop'per,

said drumsand bands at this point being heated to substantially the same degree as ymetal within the gate or hopper', means for moving said bands and drums together with means for maintaining the bands in' parallel relation between the heating and cooling drums.

3. A machine of the kind described comprising upper and lower heating drums and upper and lower cooling drums and endless metallic bandstravelling around said drums together with means for moving said parts,

means for heating the upper and 10werheati ing drums, a gate or hopper arranged adjacent to the heatingvdrums and bands at the point where said bands approach each other and adapted to deliver molten metal to the sadband's at this point, said heating drums and bands being heated to substantially the same temperature as the molten metal, means for maintaining the bands in parallel fixed relation between the heating drums and the cooling` drums and means for supplying a cooling medium'to said bands dur-` ing their passage' between said heating and cooling drums. v

4. A machine ofthe kind described comprising upper and lower heating drums together with means for heating the same during rotation, upper and lower cooling drums and means for adjusting said drums and metallic bands passing around said upper and lower drums, means for maintaining said bands in definite spaced parallel relation between the heating and cooling drums, a gate or hopper arranged at the juncture of the heatingdrums and bands and adapted to deliver' molten metal between the bands at the point where they approach each other, said heating drums and bands being maintained at a temperature substantially the' same as the molten metal in the gate or hopper, said bands being formed to provide a movable die or mold lfor lshaping the molten metal fed between the same.

5. Ina device of the kind described the combination with a gate or hopper, of a pair of heating drums arranged a to, heating means carried by said drums and adapted to maintain said drums at substantiallythe same temperature as ythe molten metal contained in the gate or hopper, and

endless shaping dies travelling around said drums and approaching each other at the discharge end of the hopper or gate and whereby the molten metal is delivered tothe said'movable die at the proper temperature for completely filling the entire die.

In testimony whereof, Ihereuntoailix my signature. c

HOWARD C. FLETCHER,

acent there- 

